Mallorca and Athletic Club closed the fourth round with a goalless draw, a result that felt unsatisfying for both sides after a tightly fought contest. The match offered moments of imbalance, yet in the end it left fans with the impression that neither side had produced the breakthrough needed to seize a win that would lift morale and momentum moving forward.
The Vermilions could not celebrate victory, while the Lions missed a prime opportunity to climb to the top of the table. It was a game that kept expectations high but stopped short of delivering a decisive moment in front of goal.
On the island, Mexican coach Javier Aguirre faced a tricky start for Mallorca. It was clear that collecting all three points in this stretch would not come easy, even though the squad boasted technical quality through Sergi Darder, Cyle Larin, and Samu Costa. The team pursued a strong start but failed to convert early pressure into a finish that could beat Unai Simón and his defensive unit.
For Athletic, Ernesto Valverde sought to unlock the Mallorca defense for 95 minutes without success. The opening goal arrived early in the second minute, but despite that early spark, the match finished 1-1, echoing the result from the previous season’s fixture on the same stage.
Aguirre reinforced the attack with the Larin-Muriqi partnership and introduced Belgian defender Van der Heyden for his first La Liga start, replacing José Copete who had started the prior match against Granada. The balance remained anchored by a five-man back line, with Costa, Darder, and Rodríguez controlling the midfield, while Omar Mascarell and Manu Morlanes watched from the bench.
Although the tactical adjustments brought a touch of freshness, they did not raise Mallorca’s level enough to tilt the game in their favor, especially in a windy arena that affected both teams. Mallorca began with intent, pressing high across the pitch as they sought chances for Muriqi and Larin, yet their efforts rarely posed a clear threat to the goalkeeper Unai Simón.
Valverde responded by reintroducing Oihan Sancet, back from a one-match suspension against Betis, and by deploying Yuri Berchiche on the left flank after a recent fibula injury. The lineup centered on Ruiz de Galarreta and Sancet, with Nico Williams supplying pace and Inaki Williams applying persistent pressure on the defense.
Both sides traded near-misses, with Sancet and Nico Williams pushing play toward danger zones and forcing close-range attempts that narrowly missed the target. A yellow card shown to Lekue punctuated a tense first half, which ended with the referee’s whistle as teams recalibrated for the second period.
Early in the second half, a potential Mallorca sleeve of a goal was ruled offside, prompting Aguirre to shuffle his options by bringing Javi Llabrés and Beñat Prados into the fold, alongside replacements for Muniain and Mikel Merino as the game sought a decisive moment. Larin’s substitution by Llabrés signaled Mallorca’s intent to stretch the width and find late openings as the clock ticked on.
The second period carried the same pattern: alternating control, tight defending, and bursts of attack that did not end with a clinical finish. Athletic continued to press forward, staying solid at the back while hunting for a moment to break the deadlock. Mallorca, for their part, remained dangerous on the counter and in aerial duels around the box, but the finishing touch eluded them at crucial junctures.
As the clock wound down, the sting of missed chances grew more palpable. Muriqi produced a sharp effort from the edge of the box that Vivian parried to a corner, and soon after, a Kosovo header was cleared off the line by an eager defender. The crowd urged their favored striker Abdón Prats to make an impact, creating anticipation that did not translate into a late winner for Mallorca.
In the end, the Vermilion side collected one point from the draw, while the Lions stood firm in defense to preserve parity. Llabrés, Muriqi, and Abdón Prats carried Mallorca’s hopes in the final sequences, but Athletic’s last line resisted with resolve, securing a draw that felt fair given the balance of play. The movement and resilience shown by both sides earned respect from supporters, even as the result left them hungrier for three points in forthcoming fixtures. The match report places this result within a season where both teams aim to improve in the standings, with fans and analysts marking the encounter as a test of endurance and tactical discipline. — Source: match commentary and team updates, as compiled for fans and analysts.